‘Old’ employees more corrupt

State failure to shuffle staff at regular intervals creates window for graft

With over 60 per cent of officials and staff more or less working in the same Hyderabad and its surrounding districts for years together, failure of the government to shuffle its ‘employees is contributing to corruption.

Though the norms stipulate that staff working in revenue earning departments should be transferred every two years to prevent corruption, the rules remain only on paper.

There is huge demand for posts in Hyderabad and surrounding districts and staff do their best to retain their postings here by lobbying with ministers and politicians.

Even if they are transferred out of administrative compulsions, they ensure that they get postings within GHMC and HMDA limits and avoid transfers to far off districts.

Employees were found to be working at the same place ranging from 5 to 15 years, and even more in the case of a few others.

Allowing them to work for longer duration makes it easier for corrupt staff to set up well organised bribe machinery, resort to irregularities and siphon off government funds and assets.

Inquiries conducted by the state government after any scam or any untoward incidents coming to light often reveals the involvement of staff working at same place for years together.

There is much noise about transferring such staff soon after inquiry reports are submitted, but this seldom happens, due to political lobbying and employees unions.

However, the recent Miyapur land scam in which hundreds of acres of government land was registered in favour of private firms/ individuals appears to have opened the eyes of government. It transferred 73 sub-registrars who were working at same places for years.

After the flooding of Bandari layout last September on account of nala encroachments that created a furore, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and municipal minister K.T. Rama Rao announced transferring of GHMC and HMDA staff working at same places for years.

But when it was found that the existing rules do not permit transfer of GHMC and HMDA staff to other districts, the government brought in amendments to the Acts in the Legislative Assembly in March this year.

However, no major transfers were taken up.

In the Excise department, there have been no transfers for four years. Officials and staff are facing allegations of collecting bribes from liquor dealers, bars, hotels etc. and allowing them to flout norms.

In the commercial taxes department, officials and lower-rung employees are facing allegations of siphoning off tax amount paid by traders in connivance with brokers and auditors.